East-West Shrine Bowl 2024: Highlights, Top Performers Who Boosted Draft Stock

East-West Shrine Bowl 2024: Highlights, Top Performers Who Boosted Draft Stock0 of 3

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The 99th edition of the East-West Shrine Bowl took place Thursday night in Frisco, Texas, and the West team emerged with a 26-11 victory.

However, the real winners were the former college standouts who boosted their stock ahead of the 2024 NFL draft.

There’s still more than two months until the talent grab, which will be held in Detroit from April 25-27. But the 32 NFL teams are hard at work scouting players and trying to prioritize their targets for the three-day event.

Showcase games such as the East-West Shrine Bowl help NFL franchises in their draft preparation. And some players may have moved up team boards after their performance on Thursday.

Here’s a look at several players who stood out during the 2024 East-West Shrine Bowl.

Frank Gore Jr., RB, Southern Miss1 of 3

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Frank Gore Jr., the son of former NFL running back Frank Gore, was named the offensive MVP of this year’s East-West Shrine Bowl.

Gore finished his four-year college career with 4,022 rushing yards and 30 total touchdowns. He is only 5’8″ and 195 pounds, but the former Golden Eagle has great running ability, as he showed again Thursday night.

There’s a good chance he won’t be taken until Day 3 of the NFL draft. He never played in a Power Five conference (spending two years in Conference USA and two in the Sun Belt), and his size could keep some NFL teams away.

But Gore showed he could be a sleeper draft prospect to keep an eye on come April. And he may end up getting taken a bit earlier after his latest performance.

Jarius Monroe, CB, Tulane2 of 3

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The defensive MVP of the East-West Shrine Bowl was Jarius Monroe, a 6’2″, 205-pound cornerback out of Tulane. His top highlight from the game occurred when he intercepted Western Kentucky quarterback Austin Reed in the fourth quarter to cap the West’s win.

Monroe, who played two seasons for Tulane after beginning his college career at Nicholls State, had an impressive week leading up to the Bowl, too. His practice performances likely boosted his draft stock prior to Thursday’s game.

It’s plausible to think Monroe will still be on the board on Day 3 of the draft. But any team that takes him will be getting a defensive back with a ton of playmaking ability.

Over 27 games with Tulane, he recorded six interceptions, one sack and a forced fumble.

Taulia Tagovailoa, QB, Maryland3 of 3

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Tua Tagovailoa was a first-round pick in the 2020 NFL draft, when he was selected No. 5 overall by the Miami Dolphins. His younger brother, Taulia, won’t be a Day 1 pick in 2024, but some team could take a flier on him later in the draft, especially after seeing how he played Thursday.

Taulia had an impressive showing in the East-West Shrine Bowl that started once he entered the game in the second quarter. The Maryland QB showed off his arm by passing for a game-high 142 yards, and he also scored on a 2-yard touchdown run.

He is preparing for the 2024 NFL draft after his waiver for another year of college eligibility was reportedly denied by the NCAA. He had a five-year career that began at Alabama before transferring to Maryland for his final four seasons.

There are a lot of strong quarterbacks in this year’s draft, and quite a few could go in the first round. But Tagovailoa could be a late sleeper, as some NFL team will try to see if he can be as successful as his older brother.